Trapped
by eat-drums
Summary: Jack and the Doctor are reunited at the Cardiff rift only to meet an old enemy.The writing on the wall of the Senedd heralds the return of one thought to be lost forever but now they are trapped and the Doctor isn't sure he can get them out alive. 10Rose
1. Prologue: Return to the Rift

**Title: **Trapped

**Rating: **T (to be safe)

**Pairings: **Unsure yet

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Doctor Who, etc etc. I only write for fun and don't profit from my work

**Spoilers: **Spoilers from the preview of the start of 'Utopia' – don't say I didn't warn ya! Spoilers are mild (see A/N below) – most of this prologue came from my own ideas before I saw the BBC preview. If you don't want to be spoiled even a little, check out the next chapter wherein Jack has just arrived on the TARDIS where the story becomes entirely non-canon and wanders off into my own little world! ;)

_**A/N**__ Hello everyone! Seeing as I've finished writing (but not finished posting) my other chapter fic, 'Time to Heal' I started writing this story. This prologue is loosely based on the Jack and Doctor reunion that will take place at the start of 'Utopia'. I wrote the dialogue before I saw the BBC preview, so it's not going to strictly follow canon, apart form the bits about the location and Jack throwing himself at the TARDIS…_

_Anyway, I'm not sure where this story is going yet, but I hope you like it. I'll only write more if I get reviews so PLEASE press that little button – I love reviews!_

_Enjoy!_

**Prologue – Return to the Rift**

"Where did you say we were going again?" Martha asked, holding onto the rails around the TARDIS console as the Doctor ran around pulling levers and twisting knobs with great enthusiasm.

"Cardiff!" said the man himself, cheerfully. "Didn't you hear me the first time?"

"Well yeah, but I thought – Cardiff?! He couldn't have said Cardiff!" Martha looked bemused.

"What's wrong with Cardiff?" The Doctor said, his eyes dangerous all of a sudden before brightening into a manic grin. "Lovely place! Right by the sea, the people are nice, very hospitable and they have a fantastic opera company!" He beamed.

Martha just shook her head at the absurdity of the Doctor. After travelling with him for a few months she thought she had cracked him but then he'd throw another bizarre spanner in the works and completely confuse her once more.

"A long while back me and R…" He began, still in full flow before stopping abruptly, his smile disappearing and his expression becoming dark.

Martha sighed. "Rose…" She muttered, turning her back to the Doctor. She was fed up of hearing that stupid name – Rose - whoever she was. Martha didn't like to admit it but she was insanely jealous of this mysterious 'friend' that the Doctor held so high in his estimations. She didn't want to admit it but she was falling in love with the strange alien who had shown her the universe, even though she increasingly realised that her feelings were not reciprocated.

The Doctor had stopped his wild dance around the console. He just stared into space, his mind consumed with memories of Rose, and suddenly their friend, Jack. The stupidly brave Jack Harkness who had given his life for them on Satellite Five. He remembered the time they had visited Cardiff together and met 'Margaret' The Slitheen. There were times when, in spite of himself, he missed the old team.

"Why exactly are we going to Cardiff, then?" Martha asked.

"We're not going…we're here." Said the Doctor, as the TARDIS landed with a bump. The enthusiasm had left his voice and Martha sighed in resignation, realising it was going to be 'one of those days' where the Doctor became completely insular.

"So, why are we _here_ then?" She persisted, moving towards him as he pulled on his brown trench coat.

"The TARDIS needs fuel. There's this rift that runs through Cardiff and the TARDIS gets energy from it. Like a petrol pump for her." A hint of his smile returned and a bounce returned to his step as he moved to the door. "I open the engines and she soaks the energy up. So we'd better go find something to do – gonna be a few hours before we can leave again." He smiled at Martha.

She smiled weakly back and followed him up the ramp.

The Doctor opened the door and looked out on the courtyard of the Wales Millennium Centre, taking a moment to breathe in the sea air as he stepped out of his Time ship. Martha followed, standing beside him and looking around. She had to admit, it was pleasant. She had never been to Wales before, and having lived in London her whole life it was nice to be close to the sea.

The Doctor didn't make a move to whisk her off somewhere exciting, however. He just stood there. Martha watched him silently, his handsome features set into a painful expression. Memories assaulted the Doctor's mind…he saw Rose in the dungeon under the city, telling him that they would go down fighting, then he saw his previous incarnation bouncing away from the TARDIS with her hand held tightly in his own, closely followed by Captain Jack, all of them laughing and happy.

"I can't do this…" He said suddenly, turning on his heels and throwing the TARDIS door open.

"What? Doctor?" Martha asked, concerned as she followed him back into the blue box. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She demanded as he set up the controls again.

"Nothing, I'm fine." He said, voice flat. "We're leaving."

"What about the petrol…" Martha began.

"Wait…" He said, looking quickly at his screen. "The rifts been active – should only take a few seconds! Brilliant!" He grinned. Then he looked at his viewing screen and saw a man he never thought he'd see again running flat out towards the TARDIS, his features contorted as he yelled his name.

'_No…it can't be…'_ he thought _'I can't…he's going to ask…about Rose.'_ And with brutal force he hit the ignition lever.

Before Martha could protest any further she heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS engines revving up and grabbed hold of the nearest railing ready for take off whilst the Doctor heaved a sigh of relief at avoiding a painful reunion with Jack. There were just too many questions…

Just as the ship began to move there was a loud thudding sound against the door. The Doctor snapped out of his stupor.

"What the…" he began, rushing to the door as the TARDIS started her trip into the time vortex. He threw open the door, his eyes growing wide in horror. "Martha!! QUICK!" He yelled.

The young woman raced up the ramp behind him and helped the Doctor haul a body inside. He shut the door quickly and pulled the stranger fully into the control room. He was out cold.

"Doctor?" Martha asked, uncertainly, looking from the strange man sprawled on the TARDIS floor to the Time Lord. The Doctors eyes were wide and his face white as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Jack Harkness…you bloody idiot!" He muttered, dropping to his knees next to the other man before beginning to shake him roughly.


	2. Captain Jack Harkness

**Disclaimer: **_I don't own Doctor Who! I only write for fun and don't profit from my work._

**Spoilers: **_No more spoilers! Though there will inevitably be references to series 1, 2 and the already aired series 3! _

_**A/N **__Well, I expected a slow flow on this fic due to the 'Utopia' mini spoilers…oh well! But thanks to all those who read and big hugs to Boo26 for reviewing! Please take a minute to press that little button and make my day! _

**1- Captain Jack Harkness**

"Doctor! DOCTOR!" Martha yelled, shoving roughly at the Time Lords shoulder. "Get outta the way!"

The Doctor backed off, letting Martha kneel beside Jack and check his vital signs.

"No pulse." She said, her face set like stone for a moment before she started CPR on the strange man. She did a cycle of compressions as the Doctor paced around the TARDIS, running his hands through his hair.

"Bloody idiot!" he muttered, angrily. "What the hell did he think he was doing…I always knew he was trouble…urgh!"

Martha rolled her eyes and ignored the Doctor's ranting as she desperately tried to revive the handsome stranger the Doctor had called 'Jack'. She lowered her mouth to his, pinching his nose and giving him her breath. It worked.

Jack started coughing, sitting up and opening his eyes before falling backwards and hitting his head on the metal flooring.

"Ooof…my head." He grumbled. "Wait…" He looked up and grinned, "Was someone kissing me?"

Martha blushed furiously, noting for the first time just how gorgeous the American was.

"Martha Jones, Captain Jack Harkness. Jack, Martha Jones." The Doctor said, wearily, wandering over to where Jack was lying on the floor. "Now, _Captain_, I'd be most grateful if you'd tell me why you felt it necessary to fling yourself at my TARDIS like that!" He spat angrily.

Jack sat up. "Who the hell are you?" He asked, frowning at the Doctor. "I must've hit my head harder than I thought…" he put a hand to the back of his head, feeling a lump beginning to form there.

"It's me you idiot!" The Doctor rolled his eyes and stretched out a hand to pull Jack to his feet.

"Doctor?" Jack asked, looking quickly around the TARDIS, then at Martha and then back at the Doctor.

"I suppose regeneration was a myth too…" The Doctor said, before giving way to a grin as Jack threw his arms around him, hugging him tightly. However, the smile was quickly wiped from his face as Jack pulled back and the Doctor felt the full force of the Americans practiced right hook. He staggered backwards, grabbing the console for support.

"That's for leaving me behind!" He said, voice bitter for a moment. "Now, are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on? Who the hell is she?" He pointed his finger at Martha. "And where the hell is Rose?"

The Doctor, who had been nursing his cheek by the console looked up, his eyes filled with raw pain.

"She's not here, Jack." He said, quietly.

"Doctor…." Jack said, a dangerous edge in his voice as he marched over to where the Time Lord stood.

"Where is she? What happened? Why am I even alive?! I died! I need answers, Doctor!" Jack said, clutching the Doctors upper arms in desperation. "Do you have any idea how long I've waited?!"

The Doctor didn't answer. He looked at Jack, seeing the pain and desperation in the other mans eyes and wondering what kind of hell he must have been through. He felt guilty all of a sudden…guilt ridden for taking off like that instead of throwing open the TARDIS doors and rushing to greet his old friend. But he didn't do 'going back' – he always had to move forward. It was the only thing that kept him sane.

"Doctor? What on earth is going on?" Martha asked, quietly, moving towards the two men. They both looked so young to her, young in body, and yet, as she saw their eyes they suddenly looked incredibly old.

"OK…OK…" The Doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously and moving away from Jack. "Grab a seat and we'll talk."

Jack sighed with relief, dropping his backpack on the floor and flopping down into the Captains seat next to Martha. The Doctor stood, leaning against the console, as he studied Jack. This was a different Jack from the one he had known…the happy-go-lucky guy he remembered from that time, so long ago now, when he had smiled and laughed with his friends. The time he was with his Rose. He exhaled slowly.

"Martha, I'll try and answer your questions as best I can, but I do owe Jack some answers…so bear with me." He looked at his companion, who nodded. "Where do you want me to start?" he asked, looking up at Jack, steeling himself as he prepared to remember all those things he wanted to bury away.

"From the minute you ran away from me on Satellite Five." Said Jack. "I was killed…the Daleks killed me. But then I woke up – I was alive. What the hell happened?"

The Doctor let out another long sigh, taking it all in his stride. He thought for a moment before the realisation dawned.

"Bad Wolf…" He muttered.

"Bad Wolf? What?" asked Jack, confused.

"Bad Wolf, Jack. Bad Wolf…" He trailed off, breathing deeply again. "Rose…"

"Rose?" Martha asked. "What's Rose got to do with it?"

"Everything." Said the Doctor sharply. "Rose is…was…" he quickly corrected himself. "She's everything."

And Martha got the feeling that he was no longer speaking just in relation to her and Jack's questions.

The Doctor started to wander around the console, refusing to look at either person he was speaking to. He told them about the Bad Wolf – about Rose saving them all.

"And then…" he said, "That must have been how you came back to life. When Rose became the Bad Wolf she brought death, yes, and she brought life." He looked Jack in the eye. "Rose raised you from the dead."

Jack went white as a sheet, not knowing how to feel…knowing that Rose was responsible for saving his life, and yet cursing him to immortality.

The Doctor continued with his story, recounting how he absorbed the vortex from Rose and then regenerated. He talked for a very long time, telling Jack about what happened to them after they were separated…about his fantastic Rose.

Martha watched the two men with interest as the Doctor talked, occasionally interrupted by Jack when he asked questions. Both men had a twinkle in their eye as they spoke about this girl. Jack smiled for the first time since he had arrived on the TARDIS and the Doctor, he smiled wistfully as he remembered, a far off look in his eye as if reliving every moment.

"But then…" his face fell again. "Then came the war…and Torchwood." He ground out the name of the institution, his eyes burning with anger.

Jack shifted nervously in his seat as he saw the look in the Doctors eyes. Torchwood was something that he clearly hated, and he soon found out why. The ex-Time Agent said nothing as the Doctor told him about the Cybermen, Rose facing the Daleks, and the breach between the parallel worlds. He knew the Doctor and Rose had been seen at Torchwood One before it's untimely demise, through his research into the Torchwood archives, but the details were hazy as most people there that day had been killed. He listened intently as the Doctor explained about trying to send Rose to be with her family, and how she returned to him and told him that she would never leave him. Jack felt a lump rise in his throat as the Doctors expression became pained and cold. The Time Lord turned his back, unable to tell the last part of the story whilst looking at them.

"She…she fell, Jack. I couldn't do anything. I yelled, I screamed, but there was nothing I could do…then, just as I thought it was the end for her, Pete from the other world reappeared and grabbed her. The last thing I saw was her looking at me before she disappeared into the other world…and the breach sealed itself. I lost her Jack….I lost her…" The doctor's shoulders slumped, his knuckles turning white as he clutched the edge of the console tightly.

"But did she get back safely?" Jack asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Yes…" The Doctor said, sadly.

"But you can't be sure…can you?"

"Oh, I can be, Captain." The Doctor said, almost bitterly as he sniffed and turned to face Jack and Martha once again. "I spent months rushing around the universe, from one end to the other trying to find a way to get her back…but I couldn't. I failed. Then I found a gap…a gap between this world and hers. I couldn't get through it but with enough power I could send a projection from the TARDIS to her. So I found power and started calling her name…"

"What power?" Martha asked, speaking for the first time since the start of the story.

"A star." Said the Doctor, looking at Martha briefly, the pain and grief in his eyes stinging her.

"A star?" Jack asked, frowning.

"A supernova." The Doctor explained. "I burnt up a star, Jack. I burnt up a star to say goodbye." The Doctor gulped, knowing that, despite his best efforts, he was on the verge of breaking down.

Jack stayed silent, watching the Doctor sadly. He had been feeling bitter and lost, imagining Rose and the Doctor gallivanting around without him…but now he knew that the Doctor was in pieces. He was a just a shadow of the man he had known…a man who had been saved by love, only to be destroyed by it.

"I saw her one last time…She followed my voice all the way to Norway where we met on Bad Wolf bay…talk about ironic." He chuckled, mirthlessly. "I didn't know what to say…neither did she. She wanted to touch my face, and I wanted to hug her and tell that it was all gonna be OK, but I couldn't."

"What do you mean, you didn't know what to say?" Jack said, aghast. "You should've told her that you love her you ass!"

"What?!" Martha burst out, her tone harsh and shocked but the Doctor didn't respond, he was too wrapped up in his memories. He fixed his gaze with Jacks.

"I tried…" he said, his voice cracking. "Rose started crying…she told me that she loved me, and I just looked at her for a moment. Then I started to say it…but I only got to the end of her name before she disappeared and I was just staring at the TARDIS walls…its not fair Jack. I'm the Time Lord who ran out of time."

And with that the Doctor turned on his heels and walked briskly down the corridor and out of sight.


	3. Broken Hearts

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Doctor who, I don't profit from writing these fics. I just borrow the characters and play with them for a while! _

_**A/N **__Hello all! A big thanks to everyone who has read and especially to those of you who have reviewed so far! I'm a bit of a review junkie so I tend to update faster if I get more reviews. ; ) Anyway, updates on this story might be slow for a while as I'm in the middle of my uni exams and I'm still trying to write it…whereas my other story (Time to Heal) is already finished and I'm just posting it. _

_Anyway…next chapter! PLEASE let me know what you think, if you're enjoying, if you want more or if I should just put this idea to bed and get on with writing something else! THANK YOU: ) _

**2 – Broken Hearts**

"Doctor!" Martha called, standing up and making to follow him, but Jack grabbing her hand stopped her in her tracks.

"Leave him." He said, sternly. 

"Get off me!" Martha said, sharply, shaking her hand free but she made no further move to follow the Doctor. 

Jack studied the young woman as she looked down the corridor after the Doctor. He saw the look in her eyes and sighed, "Martha, be careful." He said, quietly.

"What?" Martha asked, irritably as she turned around to face the strange American.

"Be careful…" he repeated, his tone sincere. "You're on dangerous ground." 

Martha felt her face flush. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said, turning her back to him.

"Oh, I think you do…" Jack said, knowingly. "It's for your own good. You'll just get your heart broken." 

"Who are you to think that you know me?!" She asked, spinning around angrily. 

"I don't know you, but I know him." Jack said, darkly. "He has a different face now…but I still know him." 

There was silence for a moment as Martha contemplated the new arrival. 

"So…" she said, quietly. "I'm still confused, who exactly are you?" 

"Oh, sorry. My manners…" Jack said, a cheeky grin spreading over his face. "I'm…" but Martha never did find out what Jack was about to say as the TARDIS warning sirens started to blare and a few wires under the console started spitting sparks. 

"DOCTOR!!!" Jack yelled down the corridor before diving into the console pit, starting to fiddle with the controls there in an attempt to stabilise the TARDIS which was shaking uncontrollably. 

"Martha! Hold on tight!" The Doctor yelled over the noise as he dashed into the control room and looked quickly at the viewing screen. "Jack – status!" He yelled into the pit where Jack was frantically trying to stop sparks from flying. 

"I dunno!" Jack yelled, "There's a malfunction…" 

"Oh, get outta the way!" The Doctor yelled, angrily as Jack clambered out of the pit allowing the Time Lord to slip in. Just then the sparks ceased and the ship landed with an unpleasant crash. Martha was thrown off her feet, only to be caught by Jack.

"Hello…" He said, grinning flirtatiously and winking at the young woman in his arms. 

"Umm…thanks." Martha said, her voice squeaky as she looked up at him, struggling to find her balance again. 

"Fat lot of use you are!" the Doctor said, his face blazing as he climbed out of the pit. "Jack bloody Harkness…you should've left well alone! Why couldn't you LEAVE ME ALONE?!" He yelled, pouring all his hidden frustration out. 

Martha jumped, never having heard the Doctor sound quite so angry and distressed. 

"Why do you hate me, Doctor?" Jack asked, sounding hurt as the Doctor studied the console screen, frantically trying to find out what happened.

"I don't hate you." He said quietly, before looking up at the ex-time agent. "You're part of my past…I don't go back to my past; I _can't _go back…" He trailed off, unwilling to speak to his mind. He hoped that Jack would understand. 

"Your past with Rose." Jack said, the truth suddenly dawning. "So…you want to forget her, just like that?" He asked, his voice becoming quiet and dangerously angry. 

"Of course I don't." The Doctor said, his teeth clenched. "But I can't go back. It hurts too much…Jack – I can't get her back. I have to move on…"

"And I'm a reminder…" Jack said, nodding, sadly. 

The Doctor shook his head suddenly, as if realising how much of his soul he had just bared. He covered it up again with a falsely cheerful smile and said. "Well…according to the TARDIS we're still on Earth…so that's not bad. Hey, actually we're still in Cardiff! But it's the year…2025. Oh well, there was me thinking we'd gone to the furthest reaches of the universe!" He laughed.

"So, can we go there instead of Cardiff?!" Martha asked, hopefully.

"What've you got against Cardiff?!" Jack asked, looking indignant. "I've been here for ages – awesome place!" He grinned. 

Martha rolled her eyes.

"Told you so." Said the Doctor, raising his eyebrows and nodding at Martha. "Besides…we can't go anywhere yet. The TARDIS needs repairs…I think Jack might've caused some problems by latching onto her like her did." He shot a dirty glance at the Captain.

"Sorry…" Jack mumbled. "But, you know, I was kinda desperate! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?!" He was almost shouting, his handsome features distorted with emotional pain.

"Nope!" The Doctor said, cheerfully, popping the 'p' and showing no inclination that he wanted to know. He dived under the console with his sonic screwdriver and started fiddling with the frazzled wiring. 

"Fine then!" Jack snapped, finding this new Doctor even more difficult and infuriating than the first incarnation he had known. "I'm going out – and don't run away without me again!" He pointed his finger at the Doctor. 

"No promises." He said, not looking at Jack. 

"You are insufferable!" Jack yelled, running his hands through his hair before rushing to the TARDIS door and throwing it open. "Wait.." he said, suddenly. "Doctor…we're not by the Millennium Centre…" he continued, forgetting his anger for a moment as he looked around. 

"No?" The Doctor asked, sliding out of the pit, his brow furrowed. He sprang up and pulled the console screen around trying to pinpoint their exact location. "We're in the Senedd, apparently." He said, looking over to Jack. 

"The Senedd? You mean that place where all those idiots in the Welsh Assembly meet?!" Jack frowned. "It still exists in 2025?!" 

The Doctor nodded, half smiling. 

"Daaaamn…" Jack grinned. "The poor Welsh people…" He turned back to the door and stepped outside. 

There was silence in the TARDIS for a moment as the Doctor continued to fiddle with the console screen. Martha tapped her fingers on the rail and watched him surreptitiously, wondering what to say. 

Just then there was a harsh shout from outside. 

"FREEZE! YOU THERE! FREEZE!" 

"DOCTOR!" The Doctor spun around, hearing Jack's voice before there was a loud BANG…it was the sound of a gun firing, followed by a thud…The unmistakable thud of a body falling to the ground.


	4. Everything has its time

_**Disclaimer: **__Don't own it…still!!_

_**A/N **__I know! I know! I'm sorry!!! It seems an age since I've been able to write or post anything! For those of you who don't already know I've been without a computer for three weeks…my lovely Labrador decided he was gonna come and sit on my lap…whilst my laptop was on it. Oops…anyway I'm back and 'Trapped' is go once again! It may take a few days to get my flow going again though so please don't be too harsh on me! This story is now incredibly AU since Utopia has aired – the Doc doesn't know that Jack is immortal; just so we don't all get confused. : ) _

_Loads of reviews please to get me back in the writing mood! ; ) _

**3 – Everything has its time**

The Doctor rushed to the TARDIS door, turning to address Martha who was following close behind him.

"Martha." He looked at her seriously, "Do not come outside, under any circumstances, until I tell you."

Martha nodded, her eyes wide with fear. She made a grab for the Doctors hand and immediately regretted it as he flinched away, his expression concerned and confused before he turned and quickly slipped outside.

"FREEZE!" there was a collective clicking sound as various guns were armed.

"Yep, freezing!" The Doctor said, putting his hands up and standing stock still as he looked around. There were, by his reckoning, about fifty armed police in the room and they had the TARDIS surrounded. He looked quickly over his shoulder, making sure the door was shut properly and then he looked down at the floor. The colour drained from his cheeks and he fell to his knees. "Jack…" He muttered, his face contorted as he saw the lifeless body of his friend slumped on its front, a dark red hole at the back of his head, slowly oozing blood.

"Stand away from the body!" One of the men yelled.

The Doctor looked up, fury blazing in his eyes. "Don't you dare…" He spat. "Don't you order me …You murdered him…" His voice was quiet and dangerous as he slowly stood to his full height.

"We told him to stop. He ran. So we shot." Said the nearest policeman, who appeared to be in charge.

"So, you're in the habit of shooting innocent civilians now, are you?" the Doctor took a step forward, the police guns still trained on him, his eyes cold.

"We're in a state of emergency. All threats must be neutralised."

"All threats must be neutralised?!" The Doctor said, aghast. "So an unarmed man running _away _from you, is a threat?"

There was no reply.

"Identify yourself!" The policeman in charge, demanded.

"I'm the Doctor. And I'm here to help." He said. "I've got ID, may I?" He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the psychic paper, the guns slowly following the path of his hand.

The man in charge lowered his gun and slowly approached the Doctor to study the paper. His eyes widened as he read that this man was head of emergency security for members of the Parliament, their personal protection, along with his two associates…He gasped as he studied the pictures on the ID. One was of the 'doctor' standing in front of him, one was of a black woman who was presumably inside the strange blue box and one was of the man lying dead on the floor.

"That's right." The Doctor said, his frown deepening. "You….YOU killed him." The Doctor had killed enough in his time to know the look of someone who had just killed his first man.

"I…I…I didn't know!" The young man stuttered, moving backwards and almost tripping over Jack's lifeless body, his hands shaking.

"Sir?" One of the armed men asked, keeping his gun trained on the Doctor. "Is he safe sir?"

"Umm, yes, yes. Lower your weapons." The shaken youngster said.

The Doctor breathed out slowly as the guns were lowered.

"What's your name?" He asked, addressing the man in charge.

"Matthew, sir. Sergeant Matthew Parks." He held out a gloved hand and the Doctor shook it, albeit reluctantly.

The TARDIS suddenly clicked open and Martha stepped out looking scared. The guns were quickly raised and armed again.

"It's OK!" The Doctor said, raising his hands. "She works for me!" He said, as the guns were once again lowered. He turned to Martha. "What do you think you're doing!" He hissed at her. "I told you to stay in the TARDIS!"

"Sorry…" Martha said, a whiny tone in her voice and the Doctor sighed in resignation. She was going to get them killed one of these days. "Where's Jack?" She asked, looking around at the black clad police surrounding them. She watched as the Doctor bowed his head, closing his eyes. She looked down at the floor in front of her and let out a small scream as she dropped to her knees beside the body. The Doctor quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her away roughly.

"It's too late Martha – he's gone." He said, his voice cold and emotionless as he shut out the pain and grief that was threatening to wash over him.

"But…But…"

"Everything has its time. Everything dies…" He said, pain engulfing him as he remembered telling Rose the same thing once. His stomach lurched. "Jack had lived long past his time…"

Martha stood next to the Doctor, unable to believe how cold and cruel he sounded at the death of his so-called friend, especially when his last words to him had been spoken in bitterness and anger. It was at moments like this that she realised that she didn't really know the alien that she travelled with. She had barely scratched the cold hard surface of the barriers he put up to shut himself off from the world. She had only known Jack a matter of hours and she couldn't stop the tears from falling, yet, there _he_ was acting as if Jack's death was…nothing.

"So…" The Doctor said, looking back at the police. "Apart from you all being in biiiiiiiig trouble for killing my associate, what other trouble is there?"

"Haven't you been briefed Sir?" asked Sergeant Pearson.

"Nope." The Doctor said, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking on hiss heels.

"Just got here, and I was just…urr…" He ran a hand along the TARDIS door, "Just investigating this strange box…" He raised his eyebrows.

"Do you want us to guard it, sir?"

The Doctor smiled, a guard for the TARDIS, now that would be nice! Stop her from getting into any trouble whilst he was gone… "Yes!" He said, cheerfully. "What a good idea! Armed guard around the perimeter if you please, and then I'd be grateful if you'd tell me…" The Doctor was cut off by the sound of gunfire from a distance.

Matthew's radio crackled to life. "Sir! Sir! They've broken through! They're heading your way. They're got a hostage, unidentified female. They're…they're not human!!" There was a blood-curdling scream and the radio went dead.

"Okay…" The Doctor said, as the police looked at him expectantly. "Forget guarding the TA…urr, the box. Follow me!" He took off, his tan coat blowing out behind him.

Martha lingered next to Jack's lifeless body as the Police started to file out of the door.

"Martha, come on!" The Doctor stuck his head back around the door, frowning. The young woman looked up at him, pain evident in her eyes. His expression softened. "We can't do anything for him now." He said, before disappearing again. Martha closed her eyes and gulped, wiping her tears away before taking off after the Doctor and the unit of armed police who seemed to have named him their Captain.

'_Everything has its time…everything dies'_. The Doctor's words echoed in Jack's aching head as he blinked and rolled over onto his back. His head pounded where the bullet had pierced his skull. He sat up slowly and rubbed his hand against the healed wound. He knew that his time was long past and he was so tired. How he wished the Doctors words were true.

Jack turned and looked at the TARDIS. He approached slowly still a little shaky on his feet. He ran his hand along the painted wood and felt warmth returning to his body. Somehow, he had never imagined his return to the TARDIS this way. In his dreams the Doctor, the old Doctor he had known, had thrown open the doors and greeted him with his lopsided smile and lighting fast quip and then Rose had come running out, screaming that she was so happy to see him, throwing her arms around him like a long lost brother. But things never turned out as her imagined them…Jack had learned that a long time ago.

There was a loud scream from a distance and the sound of a volley of gunfire. Jack was jolted back to reality.

"Martha! Get down!"

That was the Doctor's voice…and things didn't sound good. Jack gathered himself together and took off down the corridor. He arrived at a sharp right turn and saw bodies…armed police lying in pools of blood as far as he could see…

What he saw beyond the carnage made his jaw drop. The Doctor was outnumbered. He was in deep trouble. Captain Jack Harkness turned around and ran as fast as he feet would carry him in the opposite direction in search of an exit.

It was time to get back up.


	5. The Writing on the Wall

_**A/N **__Sorry for the hold up guys! My muse is not co-operating at the moment! I've been holding off posting this chapter because I'm not very happy with it…but my continual revisions seem to get no better! Oh well! ; ) I hope you guys enjoy it at any rate. Please leave me some lovely reviews! You all know how I love reviews! Let me know if you're all hanging in there with me…and the more reviews I get the faster I update! Hint hint! ;) _

**4 – The Writing on the wall**

"Martha, get down!" The Doctor yelled as the police and unidentified aliens exchanged fire. He ducked an oncoming blast of green light, his brain working like lightening, trying to find a way out of the situation.

Martha didn't need telling twice, she hit the floor with a thud, lying as low as she possibly could. The Doctor crouched beside her, his features scrunched up in concentration. There were bodies falling all around…so many dying, so much pain…The Doctor looked to his left at Martha, who was flat on the floor, her head covered with her hands and then something caught his eye…someone had scrawled something on the wall near the bottom. _'Bad Wolf'_…there it was, as clear as day. He blinked and dismissed the writing…Rose was gone, and he had more immediate problems to deal with.

The firing ceased suddenly, as soon as it had begun. The bodies of the armed police lined the corridor – Martha and the Doctor were the only one's left.

The Doctor stood up, peering through the clearing smoke to try and identify their attackers. A group of them slowly approached, looming out of the grey, and the Doctor gasped.

"You are the Doctor?" one asked.

"I'm the Doctor…" He confirmed, cautiously. "But…this isn't possible. You all died." His eyes grew wide.

"Doctor, who are they?" Martha asked, shakily standing up next to him and taking in the sight before her. There were three tall, green creatures with long arms and claws and bulbous heads and eyes.

"They're Slitheen." The Doctor said quietly.

"Sli-what?" Martha asked, but the Doctor shook his head in dismissal, turning his attention to the Slitheen.

"You know of our family, Doctor?" The chief Slitheen asked, tilting its head, curiously.

"I'm right then…you are actually the f_amily_ Slitheen?"

"That's right." They all nodded. "I am Sip-vetch-fol von-day Slitheen, pleased to meet you." The head of the family said, pleasantly.

"But…no, you were all destroyed…It's impossible." The Doctor took a step backwards, unable to believe his eyes.

"Perhaps the Slitheen family in your world were destroyed, Doctor, but in our world…no. We are alive and well."

"Your world?" The Doctor asked, his brow furrowed as he carefully approached them. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, our world. That place which is not yours…another dimension, another plane, on a parallel, you might say." Sip-vetch-fol said, tilting his head to the side.

The Doctor stood open mouthed, staring at them for a moment. "That's impossible…" He shook his head. _Rose_… He pushed the sudden thought from his head and listened to what the Slitheen had to say.

"Oh, you'd be surprised what's possible with the right trans-dimensional tools and a bit of motivation…"

"Wait…forget how you're here for a moment, _why_ are you here?" The Doctor frowned again. "You don't want to blow up the earth with nuclear warheads do you?" He sighed dramatically.

"No…"

The Doctor smiled. "That's a relief!" He chuckled for a moment before setting his face straight. "What do you want then?"

"We want your ship." Sip-vetch-fol said, taking a step towards the Doctor, flexing his claws.

"My ship? How do you know about the TARDIS?" The Doctor asked, confused.

"We saw it when you came to our dimension. We were on earth doing a little reconnaissance mission, when your big box appeared. Such energy, Doctor…but tied to something that was not in our world, so we knew that to harness it we had to find it in your world…"

The Doctor couldn't speak…that meant that these Slitheen were from Pete's World…Rose's world. He shook himself and interrupted the Slitheen, suddenly not caring what they wanted his ship for. All he wanted to know was how they got through the barriers between the worlds.

"How did you get here?!" He demanded, rushing forward so he was barely a foot away from the three Raxacoricofallapatorians. "Tell me!!"

The Slitheen collectively took a step back, surprised at the sudden change in the Doctors manner.

"Well…if you don't know why we want to steal your ship…" The family laughed.

"Forget the TARDIS – how did you get here?!" The Doctor yelled, desperation evident in his tone.

"It took many, many years to find a way…we travelled taking over and selling on worlds…"

"As you do…" The Doctor said, tapping his foot impatiently. "Get to the point!"

"But that ship of yours…" Sip-vetch-fol continued, "it had us obsessed; such power could make us a fortune…so we looked into it and eventually we managed to infiltrate an earth institution that had information on where the box came from. Luckily we had recently taken a world that had early trans-dimensional travel technology and so we stole it and started manipulating and building on it, hoping to find a way to this place. Problem was we became imprisoned on earth. Bit of a bother with this pesky young female…"

The Doctor blanched. "At Torchwood?" He asked, eyes wide.

The Slitheen laughed and Sip-vetch-fol spoke again, his tone increasingly menacing: "Oh yes…at Torchwood. But she turned out to be very useful in the end…she was the key to guiding us here. She has a strange tie to your ship…"

"What did you do to her?!" The Doctor demanded. "If you hurt her, I'll…"

"The Time Lord's hearts are racing…you know our pesky little human then, Doctor?" Sip-vetch-fol asked mockingly. The Doctor clenched his fists – the Slitheen obviously already knew the answer.

Sip-vetch-fol turned and whispered to one of his relatives who quickly ran off down the corridor, returning presently dragging a protesting figure who had a pillow case over their head and their hands bound behind their back.

The Doctor squinted – it was the hostage that had been mentioned on the radio. His stomach lurched as they came closer, and the pillowcase was whipped from her head. His eyes were as wide as saucers and for a moment he felt that he would stop breathing. He took a step back, almost falling over Martha.

"Doctor, what is it? Doctor?" Martha shook his arm, but he didn't respond. He just stared at the young blonde woman. She stared right back, her eyes wide and brimming with tears.

"Doctor…" she whispered.

It was Rose.

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_**A/N **__OK so there's fluff coming up….yey! This whole story was started due to a bit of fluff I wrote that only really worked in this situation so please stick with me guys and REVIEW! Thanks! Love ya all:D_


	6. History repeats itself

_**A/N **__Hello my lovelies! First of all a huge thank you to all of you who have reviewed so far – reviews feed my soul and encourage greatly inspire me! If I know you lot are enjoying it I write faster…so help me out! ; ) _

_FINALLY got my Uni exam results this week and they weren't half bad…I'm still wandering around grinning like a Cheshire cat – and with the relief of knowing I'm in the clear for my next year of study my inspiration has come flooding back! Woo hoo! Sooo…many grovelling apologies for how long I'm taking with this story, but hopefully I should get on a bit of a roll now…though slight delays should be expected - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is out next Saturday after all!!! SQUEE!!! _

_Anyway…to Doctor Who! FINALLY! PLEASE let me know what you think…the next chapter is a fluff interlude which is what inspired me to write this fic in the first place – so review, and you might get a quick update. (hint, hint!) _

_ENJOY!_

**5 – History repeats itself**

"Rose…" The Doctor whispered, feeling his breath catch in his throat. He started at her, unable to believe his eyes.

Rose fought to free herself but the Slitheen who was restraining her was too strong. The Doctor took a step forward, raising his sonic screwdriver at them threateningly as they manhandled his former companion.

"Let her go." He said quietly, eyes blazing.

"Why?" Sip-vetch-fol asked, amused.

"Let her go." The Doctor said again, voice filled with cold fury.

"Or what, Doctor? You'll frazzle us with your sonic device?" The Slitheen all laughed, but the Doctor remained stony faced.

"It's quite simple – you let her go or I _will_ hurt you. If you harm one hair on Rose's head then I will not be responsible for my actions…no power on this earth, or any other will stop me…" His voice was quiet but filled with the rage of all the ages as he advanced on the aliens.

"Doctor, look out!" Rose yelled as one of the Slitheen raised a weapon.

The Doctor ducked the blast and the Slitheen all laughed again as they made the Time Lord 'dance' to their beat of green death rays.

"Oh come on – not fair!" The Doctor protested. "The Slitheen here were far more subtle…and they valued a good ritual hunt!"

"Ritual hunting…ah that has its place." One Slitheen chuckled, "But who needs hunting when you've got technology that can make a Time Lord do this!" They all laughed again as they fired randomly near the Doctors feet. Rose seized the opportunity and kicked out as hard as she could at the Slitheen that had her held captive. The creature lost its balance, falling to its knees, giving Rose the opportunity to turn and head butt it with all her might. As she felt the beasts grip loosen she fell back dizzily, her balance already affected by having her hands bound behind her, but strong arms came quickly around her and she couldn't help but smile in the midst of it all – he was always there to catch her when she fell.

"Run!" The Doctor yelled to Martha as he swept Rose up into his arms. He aimed the Sonic screwdriver at the overhead security cameras and sparks flew, obscuring the Slitheen's vision as he pelted away down the corridor. Martha didn't need telling twice, she ran on ahead of him, confused and worried…Rose – she was back.

"In here! Quickly!" The Doctor sidestepped into the First Ministers office, followed quickly by Martha. The Slitheen were hot on their trail enjoying the chase.

"Works up an appetite!" Martha heard one of them yelling as they ran down the corridor towards the fleeing trio.

"They're coming! Quick! Quick!" She yelled in panic as the Doctor quite calmly tapped in a code on a secret panel beside the door. The room was suddenly filled with the thudding sounds of steel barriers crashing down over the windows and all the exits. The travellers were encased in three inches of steel.

"Installed in 2015, modelled on the security in Downing streets cabinet room." Said the Doctor, proudly. "Now they can't get in…" He added, triumphantly, still cradling Rose in his arms.

"Ummm yeah…but we can't get out!" Martha exclaimed, irritably.

The Doctor's face fell and Rose looked at him from her position in his arms, sighing. "It's Downing Street take two…" She said, wearily.

He smiled at her, the fact that they were trapped with several Slitheen baying for their blood suddenly seeming totally insignificant. "Rose…is it really you?" He asked, just staring at her for a moment.

"Yeah…it's me." She said, quietly, smiling warmly at him. "Now, put me down and unite me already you great dork!"

The Doctor couldn't help but laugh as he set her down gently, putting a supportive hand on her waist as she found her feet. "Yep…definitely real…You know, I think you get that cheek from your mother."

"I've got her slap too…wanna try it out?" Rose said, with a warning look, but then split into a grin as the Doctor quickly freed her hands and quickly checked that she hadn't been hurt. They just stood in silence for a moment drinking in the sight of each other before the Doctor felt his restraint break and he threw his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around in a circle, holding her close in a bone crushing hug. Rose smiled, closing her eyes contentedly. She never thought she would feel his arms again, see his face, his smile and hear that wonderfully childish chuckle…She buried her face in the crook of his neck and clung to him, afraid to let go just in case he disappeared again.

Martha looked on, a sick feeling in her stomach. The Doctor had his eyes closed and he wore a look of pure contentment…she wanted to be happy for him, she really did, but inside she screamed with emotional pain and frustration.

"I missed you…I missed you so much…" The Doctor whispered hoarsely in Rose's ear.

"Me too…" She replied, smiling against his shoulder, both of them refusing to break their embrace, until…

"Sorry to break up the party but…we're kinda trapped!" Martha snapped, irritably, causing the Doctor and Rose to pull apart abruptly and look over at her.

"New companion?" Rose asked, looking at the Doctor, smiling a little.

"Yeah…" The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Sorry…"

"What you sorry for? Didn't think I wanted you to be on your own did ya?" Rose asked, quietly. "Besides, the poor TARDIS would go spare if you didn't have someone to show the universe too – you'd just spend your days taking her apart and putting her back together again…" She poked her tongue out between her teeth and grinned cheekily.

The Doctor grinned. "You haven't changed."

"Neither have you." Rose responded before looking over at Martha and extending her hand warmly. "Hi, I'm Rose…Rose Tyler. You've probably never heard of me…"

"Well…yeah I have actually…" Martha said quietly, taking Roses hand and shaking it briefly. "I'm Martha Jones." She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Nice to meet you Martha Jones!" Rose said, smiling, before looking back at the Doctor. "You told her about me?"

"A… a little." The Doctor said, quietly. "I couldn't really…It hurt too much, but…" he trailed off, happy to see that Rose was smiling.

"Yeah, right bunch of laughs he is…" Martha said, sarcastically. "First time I set foot in the TARDIS he tells me that you two were 'together' and that I wasn't replacing you…" She rolled her eyes.

Rose looked at the Doctor, a question in her eyes, but the Doctor avoided her gaze and quickly clapped his hands together.

"So….Slitheen…Slitheen in Cardiff!" He stuffed his hands in his pocket and rocked on his heels, looking around the room as his brain worked quickly through possibilities.

"De ja vu…" Rose said, sighing and managing to catch the Doctors eye. They smiled reminiscently.

"Margaret!" They both said, together, before bursting out laughing.

"Huh?" Martha looked confused.

"Long story – you had to be there…" The Doctor said, brushing her off quickly as he walked around the First Ministers desk and flicked through the papers stacked on it.

Martha snorted and folded her arms. "

Anyway…so Slitheen out there, us in here…and no Mickey the idiot to blow us up and save the day…so what do we do?" He ran his hands through his hair. "Do you know anything, Rose?" He looked at her, hopefully.

"No more than what they've already told you…I was just at the office one day and I got a red alert saying that the family Slitheen had escaped, but they were already at my door. Next thing I know – poof – I'm in Cardiff!" She shrugged.

"So, what exactly was going on there?" The Doctor asked, "What abut Mickey and Pete? Wasn't anyone with you? Didn't anyone try and stop them?" The Doctor asked, frowning.

Rose was silent for a moment before she answered. "Just do me a favour, Doctor; No questions until we're out of this, OK? There's a lot both of us need to answer I think."

The Doctor nodded letting silence descend on the room once more.

"There has to be a way out…" Martha said confidently, moving away from the Doctor and Rose and wandering around the room.

"Any bright ideas?" Rose asked, looking at the Doctor who had resumed his usual place next to her.

"Nope! Not yet, anyway…" The Doctor frowned. He was usually so quick at figuring problems out but his brain seemed to have gone into shut down…He was in shock, he realised, and quite right too; after all a bunch of aliens he had already disposed of once in his universe show up from another universe and bring with them the woman he thought he'd lost forever – it was enough to give anyone a mental block!

"It's good to be back." Rose said in barely more than a whisper, jolting the Doctor from his thoughts. "Though it's not quite how I imagined it…"

"Tell me about it…" The Doctor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck again. "I need to think…I'm fresh out of ideas…" He looked down at Rose thoughtfully.

"I'll leave your magnificent brain to it then." She said, smiling wryly and moving back a step, suddenly away of how close together they had been standing. "I'll go and talk to Martha, maybe…make friends, keep her calm, have a think of my own…"

"Now _that_ is dangerous…." The Doctor commented cheekily, smiling at her.

"Oi…remember what I said about that slap…" She said, poking the Doctor in the chest and smiling back before turning on her heel and going to sit with Martha who had pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the large room. The Doctor watched her for a moment and smiled – despite all the horrors and obstacles that the universe threw at them trying to separate them forever it had failed once again. Rose Tyler was back, and he was going to make sure that, this time, it was for good.


	7. A Touch of hands

_**A/N **__Sorry I've taken so long to put this one up guys! Anyway – a HUGE thanks for all the reviews you are giving! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Reviews make me smile! _

_This is definitely the last chapter until the end of next week…it's the Harry Potter launch tomorrow night so my mind is going to be elsewhere! So…..enjoy the fluff! PLEASE leave a review on this chapter – I want to know if you like it or not! _

**6 – A Touch of Hands**

The Doctor stretched out on the First Minister's sofa, crossing his legs and closing his eyes, doing his utmost to think of a way out of the impossible situation they were in…but he found his brilliant mind failing him because all he could think of was Rose..._his_ Rose. She was there. She was there, not six feet away from him, perched on the edge of the First Minister's desk. He still couldn't figure it out – he had spent such a long time going through every possible way he could to get back to her and failed, yet those good for nothing Slitheen had managed to find their way across the dimensions without a second thought. A wave of guilt rushed over him – he obviously hadn't tried hard enough and he'd left the love of his very long life stranded in a parallel world…with her family, yes; but 'happy' – that part he knew wasn't true; not after he saw her on the beach…

Frustrated, he sighed and ran his hands through his hair, jumping slightly as someone gently took them with their own. He felt the weariness that constantly weighed him down, lift and he smiled.

"Rose…" He said, quietly as he relaxed, squeezing her familiar hands.

"You knew it was me?" She asked, sounding touched and kneeling down behind the arm of the sofa on which he was resting his head.

"I'd know you anywhere…but I _was_ trying to think…" He said, frowning, but showing no inclination that he was going to let go of her hands.

"Oh…sorry." She said, abruptly, making to move away, but the Doctor tightened his grip.

"No." he said, gently. "Stay…I…Rose…I…" He trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Shh..." Rose soothed, releasing his hands and tentatively moving one of her hands to the side of his face. The Doctor shivered and involuntarily leaned into her hand, covering it with one of his own. He looked up and saw Rose's face hovering above him. He smiled. "You don't have to say anything. I know." She said, smiling down at her Doctor, his eyes shining up at her, gratefully. "I'll let you think." She said, pulling away again.

"No…Rose." He said, his voice sounding a lot hoarser than he had intended. "Please…just stay with me. I can think with you here." He broke the contact between their eyes, dropping his chin to look at his feet.

Rose smiled happily and sat back on her heels, pondering a course of action for a moment, before carefully resting her chin on the arm of the sofa next to the Doctors head. He didn't flinch, but a smile briefly crossed his features before he closed his eyes again in thought, enjoying the feeling of Rose so close to him.

"You OK?" She asked after a few minutes, turning her head so she was looking at the Doctors profile, his brow creased in deep thought.

The Doctor jumped, feeling Rose's breath ghosting his cheek. "Mmm? Oh yeah, yeah I'm fine…."

"No brilliant thoughts yet then?" Rose asked, moving around from the arm of the sofa to the front so she was sat on the floor next to him.

"All my thoughts are brilliant." He said, smiling cheekily as he turned his head to look at her.

Rose grinned back at him, swatting his chest playfully. "Big head…" She muttered quietly.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, grabbing her hand that still lay on his chest, and holding it there.

"I missed you…so much." He whispered, his expression serious, suddenly. He let go of Rose's hand and reached out to cup her cheek, stoking her skin gently with his thumb as he studied her features. She looked so beautiful.

Rose let her eyes slide closed, just focusing on the euphoric sensation of the Doctor's hand pressing against her cheek for a moment before moving closer to him and resting her cheek on the arm of the sofa so she was face to face with him, barely any space between them. Their eyes locked and the Doctor swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. Rose still had her hand on his chest and swore that she felt his heartbeats speed up at the closeness. She smiled at him and he smiled back, the smile lighting up his eyes as they sat there in comfortable silence.

"Are you OK?" The Doctor said quietly, his eyes still locked with Rose's.

"Of course I am." She smiled again. "I'm here…I'm with you. That means I'm more than OK."

The Doctor smiled warmly at her, wondering what he had done in his lifetime that made him worthy to have what he and Rose had. He took hold of her hand that was resting on his chest, entwining their fingers lazily.

"Doctor…" Rose said, her voice barely audible. "You know…you know I love you, don't you?" Her eyes were wide and her voice raw with emotion.

"Yes, I know." He was silent for a moment, his hearts hammering in his chest. "And do you know what, Rose Tyler? I love you too." He looked seriously at her for a moment, his eyes laying bare his soul as he held onto her hand before closing the gap between them and kissing her gently on the lips. The kiss was brief but it stole Rose's breath, her eyes closing in bliss as, _finally_, her Doctor kissed her.

He pulled back just a little so he could look into her eyes again and untangled their hands so he could stroke her cheek gently, feeling at peace for the first time since she had been stolen away from him.

"Doctor…" Rose breathed. "You said…you always said we couldn't…you said we could never..." She remembered all the times that they had come so close to breaking that barrier, both of them wanting more, but never allowing themselves to have it.

The Doctor smiled, "Rose, you of all people should know to never say never."

Rose smiled back at him and brought her own hand to his cheek as they sat there, their eyes locked in deep conversation without a single spoken word passing between them.

The Doctor had battled around the potential problems that a physical relationship with Rose would bring for a long time, but after losing her for so long, he just didn't care. He had been an idiot and a coward. He was going to make the most of every minute, every second that he spent with Rose because every moment he spent with her was precious. They had wasted far too much time…

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Martha had seated herself on a chair a few feet away from the sofa that the Doctor had gone to lie on, his feet at the end closest to her. She had studied his crumpled features with interest, wondering what was taking him so long – he always had some sort of plan – well, she thought he did at any rate. Rose's arrival and their subsequent entrapment together had shaken Martha considerably, and she felt extremely threatened by the other woman's presence, even more so because Rose didn't seem threatened by her.

A while after Martha had sat down to ruminate on the day's events, Rose had approached her to try and talk to her, but Martha had cruelly rebuked her. Unfortunately, Martha's plan backfired when Rose had given up on trying to be her friend and had approached the Doctor. Martha tutted at the cheek of the brazen young blonde at interrupting the Doctor when he was thinking; but to her surprise he didn't seem to mind at all, on the contrary, he seemed pleased. The young woman felt a sickly feeling begin in her stomach as she saw Rose take the Doctors hands and then touch his chest. Under normal circumstances she would have averted her gaze, feeling that she was intruding on a private moment, but now she couldn't bring herself to look away.

When Martha had met the Doctor she had fooled herself into thinking that he had only asked her to go with him in his TARDIS because he secretly fancied her, but as time had gone on she had come to accept that the attraction and growing affection she felt for the strange alien was purely one sided; for him the relationship was, and always would be, purely a platonic friendship. For a while she wondered whether it was just because he was an alien – maybe they didn't function the same way as humans in the romance department…after all, he had called a kiss a genetic transfer. But inside she had known…she knew all along that the Doctor's hearts were broken and nobody could ever mend them, apart from maybe the woman who had broken them.

Martha Jones watched the Doctor and Rose, face to face on the arm of the sofa, jealously coursing through her unchecked. Rose had broken his hearts…that much was obvious as he told Jack his story, and she knew that it was only Rose that could mend them and make him into the man he was when she had known him, a man that Martha had only ever been lucky enough to catch brief glimpses of through the broken façade of thick emotional barriers.

The Doctor kissed Rose and Martha looked away. She couldn't stand to watch any longer. She had been foolish. She had never meant to fall in love with him…

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Rose took the Doctor's hand in her own once again as she sat up, her neck beginning to ache. She stretched and flexed for a moment before shifting her position so she could rest against his chest, listening to the comforting beating of his hearts. The Doctor smiled down at his fantastic Rose, using his free hand to stroke her hair as he fell back into thought.

"I just…I can't think…." She said, sighing and running a hand through her hair in frustration. "We've got no defences, no way out, no way of getting to the TARDIS and no chance of injuring any of the Slitheen unless the First Minister happens to have a thing for pickled eggs..."

The Doctor let a low chuckle escape him. "I know…We'll figure it out though – we always do…me and you." He sat up, Rose gently sliding back from him as he twisted his legs around to touch the floor. "Come on." He said, opening his arms to her so she could crawl into his embrace, comfortably settling herself on his lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world and sighing contentedly as she felt The Doctors arms close around her waist, nervously at first before she leaned into him and he relaxed.

"Martha's in love with you." She said, suddenly, whispering so only her could hear her.

"What?!" The Doctors head shot up from where it had been resting on top of Rose's.

"Shh…" Rose said, putting a finger over his lips, gently before wrapping her arms back around his neck. "She'll hear ya."

"But…but…she…noooo" He stuttered, quietly, his expression one of panic.

Rose couldn't suppress a grin. "Sorry Doctor, but you seem to have this way of making pretty girls fall for you…." Rose trailed off. "All of them…and yet you chose me. Why?" She looked into his eyes, her expression questioning.

"I've loved all my companions, in my own way. They were my friends, and they all brought something special to my life…but I never felt about any of them the way I feel about you…You, Rose Tyler came crashing into my life." The Doctor smiled, reaching a hand up to brush a stray strand of hair from her face.

"Literally…" Rose commented, wryly, making her love laugh.

"Quite. And you turned my whole world upside down…yet you completed it. I don't know why I fell in love with you; I don't think anyone knows why they fall in love, do you? But what I do know is that I love you…my Rose."

Rose's breath caught in her throat as he called her 'his Rose'.

"Me too…" Rose said, grinning at him and giving into temptation as she started to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. The Doctor tightened his hold on Rose, pulling her into a warm embrace and holding her there for a long time.

"I'm gonna go try to talk to Martha again, OK?" Rose said, pulling back after a few minutes, albeit reluctantly.

The Doctor nodded, locking his gaze with hers for a moment and leaning forward to place a brief but meaningful kiss on her lips, a kiss that promised the 'forever' that they both desperately wanted.

"I could get used to that…" Rose commented cheekily, sticking her tongue out slightly between her teeth.

"You'd better…because I intend doing that a lot." The Doctor grinned cheekily at her, their problems forgotten for that moment.

"We'd better get thinking then…" Rose said, her eyes darkening as worry returned to cloud her mind. She disentangled her fingers from the Doctors hair and hopped up from his lap, making her way back over to Martha.


	8. Author's Note

**Hello faithful readers, and other entities! :D**

If any of you are still out there wondering if I'm ever going to finish this story, or every write anything again for that matter, then PLEASE accept my profound apologies! I have been completely and utterly tied up irl, and as a result any and all writing projects have been on complete halt for the past TWO YEARS! Wow…who knew I could go that long without writing?

Anyway…I have an announcement. **I. AM. BACK**!

I sincerely hope that I will be able to finish 'Trapped', though I may end up going back and editing some of it as I go along. Do any of you guys still want to read it? Do you want to see it finished? Please give me a shout if you do, lovely readers, and I will do my best!

I hope everyone is alive and well out there!

_Me_eat_Drums out! (salutes)  
xxx_


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